Winter wildfowl

Dungeness RSPB - 1000hrs - mild, cloudy, drizzle, se 2 - A guided walk this morning around the reserve in ridiculously warm weather delivered a wide range of birds with plenty of winter wildfowl on Burrowes always hinting at colder times to come. Shoveler numbers continue to build along with Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pintail and Pochard, plus those denizens of the winter, 2 Smew, a Goosander and 3 Goldeneyes. Lapwings too were much in evidence with at least 500 on site, mostly roosting on the shingle at the north end of Burrowes along with a few Golden Plovers and several Snipe on the islands. Great White and Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Kingfisher, Cetti`s Warbler and Water Rail were all seen or heard around the margins, while Peregrine and Raven put in an appearance overhead.

                                Two early Smews on Burrowes

As for migrants we noted a few Goldcrests and Stonechats in the gorse scrub, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, several Chiffchaffs, tits and Robins, plus a trickle of Goldfinches, Siskins, Redpolls and Mipits overhead. At Dengemarsh more common wildfowl on the lake and a brief flight view of a Bittern was the highlight, along with the expected Marsh Harriers over the reedbed.